Over the years of diving into art journaling and supporting others to fully express themselves, I’ve always felt a deeper current happening beneath the surface. It has always been hard for me to name with words, but over the last couple years things have been getting more and more clear.

And this year, I am finally making the shift to fully embrace this deeper current, exploring it and expressing it through my emails, articles, videos, and offerings so that you too may dive deeper into the healing and transformation of it to live a more vibrant life.

So what might you expect from here on out?

Let me start by first sharing more about my journey of coming into clarity about this…

You may have heard my story of how I shifted from creating and living a life of control and perfectionism, to living and creating more freely and intuitively. I’ve written about this numerous times on the blog (HERE and HERE) and in my free AIR Book – how I got so burnt out with creating products with a step-by-step formula and always trying to perfect things, that I had to quit my job and rediscover the joy of creating.

And the more I told and retold my story, especially as it was unfolding, the more I could see the bigger picture of what was really happening.

That shift from struggling with creativity to falling in love with the process using play, curiosity, and most of all, my intuition, has been such a huge life changer for me. Not only with creativity, but within myself as well. Through this way of creating from the soul, I rediscovered parts of me I didn’t even realize I had lost. And I continue to discover more every day.

And as I awaken these parts of me within, I can more clearly see how disconnected I truly was to myself, and how it was all due to an imbalance that still plagues the majority of the western world today.

Our society relies so heavily on the mind and the "left-brain" way of thinking. We honor logic, structure, speed, control; so much so that we often let our minds run on auto-pilot and we forget that there’s this whole other part of us within – this gentler, kinder, wiser, creative, feminine part of us.

We tend to live on the surface of our mind, experiencing our fears and scattered thoughts. We can so easily get caught up in the to-do lists, the constant forward movement. And this masculine, "left brain" way of thinking really wore me down to the point of depression.

At the time, I had no idea what was wrong. All I knew was that there was something more. Something I was missing.

We as humans, the lives we lead, and the world around us are all made up of infinite dualities. But our culture is only looking at one side of the coin.

Looking back, I can now clearly see that I was suffering from imbalance. I had completely shut down my "right-brain" way of thinking – the part of me that is intuitive, emotional, feminine, and oh so creative.

I was only living from half of who I truly was.

And through creativity I’ve been unconsciously reawakening this other side of the duality. But I am ready now to bring more light to these feminine, "right-brain" aspects.

I want to start consciously exploring not just creativity, but also intuition, sensuality, emotions, play, beauty, and all of the other pieces of ourselves that may be shut down or hiding.

With this in mind, I’ve been quietly building something new… And my heart is fluttering like crazy just thinking about sharing it with you.

I have been creating a space for women to support each other in bringing more life into our day-to-day by exploring and bringing more awareness to the beautiful depths of who we truly are through creativity, playfulness, and connection. I’ll be offering it as a monthly community in which we’ll explore all of the different "right-brain" aspects of ourselves.

—> (If you might be interested in joining me, send me an email at hello{at}kristalnorton.com to let me know. I’ll be opening the doors on Tuesday to a select few women to become the founding members of this blossoming community.)

Throughout our explorations over the year and beyond, I’ll be sharing my stories and insights with you via email and my blog so that you too may gain a deeper connection to yourself.

Creativity will still be my main focus for what I share (and it will be the connecting thread throughout our private community explorations), but it will now be flavored with deeper insights around ALL of the feminine, "right-brain" aspects of ourselves. :)

I hope this shift will continue to inspire you and enrich your life, as much as it has been enriching mine.

Back in January, I shared that I’ll be exploring the elements one at a time throughout this year, beginning with AIR. As I began my journey, I had thought that I would come in like a whirlwind – blogging more, sharing all of what I had learned in previous explorations of Air. But instead, Air showed up as stillness, as quiet, as that small space between each breath.

Throughout that time, I learned so much about myself and I finally learned how to sit still in silence, which I was never able to do previously. Although it was a rough couple months, I am grateful. Grateful of the changes it made in me. Grateful that I can now enjoy a (semi) daily meditation practice to listen to my Soul. Grateful for the new fresh eyes on life. Grateful for this new found ability to tap into my heart and write to you with ease. Grateful.

So grateful in fact, that I’ve been resisting this feeling of Water coming into my world these past couple weeks. I’ve been feeling the shift. The Air energy I’ve been getting used to has been slowly lifting as the quickness of Water rushes in.

I’m a little anxious about it actually. Through my lessons in stillness, I’ve seen just how much I have stuffed my emotions down throughout my life. And do you know what Water usually represents? Yup. Emotions. I have a feeling that this cycle will not go as planned, just as Air was surprising.

In my first experience exploring Water last year, I thought much about how our society places its value on product, on the final result of creativity, and how, really, creativity is so full of mysticism. And so, the Water e-book I have prepared to gift you (which will be arriving soon!) is all about being in the flow of creativity. I had planned to spend my time writing about all the different ways we can be creative in our daily life. How we can tap into the easeful flow of the magic of creativity.

I hope to still touch on these subjects in the next couple months as we explore Water. But I have a feeling that Water has its own plans for me. We’ll just have to wait and see!

In the meantime, I would love to hear your experience with the Air cycle. Did you invite it into your life? What did it teach you? Share with us in the comments below!

Phew, what a month it’s been! I left a lot of time open to film and write for my upcoming workshop Dancing in the Unknown which will be offered alongside 20+ other holistic workshops in Spectrum 2016. But of course half way through the month I lost all inspiration to work on it.

All wasn’t lost though, I was surprised with a clear vision of a different mini workshop. One that would address a nagging thought I’ve been having:

I feel like the true intentions of art journaling are being lost within all of the available art supplies and tutorial videos out there.

I wanted to build a space to hold a conversation around this. I wanted to share what I use in my own practice to hold my journal as a sacred place to truly express myself. And so, Safe Haven Art Journaling was born.

If you’re interested in reclaiming your journal as your own personal safe space, join us to talk about setting boundaries, building sacred space, using an approach that makes us comfortable, and to play with hidden journaling techniques.

Not surprisingly, as soon as I finished putting together Safe Haven, my inspiration returned to work on Dancing in the Unknown. And wow! What a rush it’s been! It feels like everything I wanted to share about uncertainty in our lives and facing the unknown and listening to our wise Soul voice is just pouring out of me with so much ease.

Within this workshop, I share my experience along with two exercises you can practice to expand your comfort zone with the unknown to allow space to hear that wise voice within.

Let’s spend time exploring the place where intuition and fear meet. I dare you to get curious about what your heart has to say and how it will guide you to make decisions aligned with your Soul’s purpose.

The full moon was last weekend. And no, I’m not usually the type that pays much attention to these sorts of things… although perhaps now I will, because what I experienced over these past few days was nothing short of magical.

They say the full moon is a time for releasing that which no longer serves you… and oooh boy, was something telling me to let go! Out of nowhere, I began to get bombarded with messages all telling me the same thing:

It’s time to let go of your old ways of doing things.

It’s time to shed the cocoon and grow.

It all started with some simple nudges from Connie Solera, to take some time to reflect and to speak to the soul of my business because I was really feeling flustered and out of sorts. When I agreed to slow down and really listen… that’s when the messages started to appear.

First, through my daily written journal. Then through a conversation in our Ignite class. A book appeared at my doorstep: Meet Your Soul. An unexpected message from my psychic friend Bridgette who had a feeling that a shift was happening in my biz. An out-of-the-blue free business coaching call. A link to Mystic Mamma where they share that the energetic themes for September is FAITH and TRUST: “The container of our lives needs to be bigger to accommodate this evolution and we cannot hold ourselves back with our fears, limited thinking and need for control.”

(And that’s the short list!)

But what hit me hardest of all, was what I experienced the morning of the full moon. I was feeling tangled. Unsure of what was going on. I needed to run away. So in the early morning light, I grabbed some art supplies and notebooks then snuck away to the beach for some quiet alone time. Little did I know what awaited me…

And through all of these messages, I’ve been getting really clear on some things. A shift IS happening. In my life, as well as in my business. Not a major shift. But more like a re-alignment. You can read more about it HERE where I posted a bit of my thought process through this experience.

But WOW. No words can fully describe what I’ve been experiencing these last few weeks. Big things are coming. I can feel it.

Since I was young, I could never sleep before a big day. The night before school. The night before leaving for a trip. The night before an art show… no sleep. A few snoozes between tossing and turning at best.

My mind loves to run. I get so excited and pumped up I can’t possibly turn it off. I haven’t felt this way since getting ready to leave for my trip to California (alll the way across country alll on my own!) in January of 2014 to begin my coaching training.

So when I woke up this morning finding myself going straight to my journal to write down some notes, then realizing I hadn’t slept well in what feels like weeks now, I was like… Whooooaaa, so that’s what’s going on!

My body is telling me I’m on the right track. Something new is brewing. I’m waiting for something. I’m excited for something. And that something is BIG.

At first, I thought it was because of my latest adventure…

Was I just excited about my new Creative Soul Circles? If you haven’t heard, I just had a deep feeling one day that I needed to gather women in circle. I wanted to commune with women and to create with women in an intimate space. I followed that calling and we had our first circle last week… it was amazing! Sure, there’s still a few bumps to smooth out as there are with any new project, but oh my, the energy that was running through that circle as we chatted live on video together was so fulfilling and inspiring! I’m still brainstorming ways to host these circles consistently, so stay tuned for more information!

But my restlessness is bigger than this excitement to gather women.

Or maybe it was because of the secret I’ve been keeping…

After we had our circle, reflected, then began to focus my attention on other projects… I still wasn’t sleeping. Was it due to this secret I’ve been keeping? Was it because of this big project I’ve been piecing together for the last couple weeks? From secretly stalking artists, choosing just the perfect ones, and inviting them to collaborate with me on a dream I’ve had for years? A dream to have an actual, real life, touch-able book?

No, this restlessness is from something BIGGER still. (But more on that secret project later!)

What about my excitement to see where my artistic journey will lead next?

What was this feeling I was having? Why can’t I just sleep already!? I journaled and I journaled. Searching deeper for the answers. I’ve been growing. I can feel it. My body, mind, and soul stretching further each day. The training I’m currently working through with Connie Solera is not only teaching me how to hold space for woman and facilitate transformation; it’s been teaching me about myself. About my journey as an artist.

Through this class, I’ve realized that my journey is much bigger than I had ever known. I’ve been going through huge transformations in my life and in my creative process simultaneously. It wasn’t coincidence that I’ve been growing spiritually ever since I quit my biz of selling art products and started creating for myself. Our art and our lives are so much more deeply intertwined than I had ever imagined. With this new realization and the help of my amazing friend Becky Cavender, I rewrote my story. (And you’ll soon get to read it in an upcoming issue of Phoenix Soul magazine!) It feels so good to have this deeper awareness of the journey I’ve been on, and clarity on the journey ahead.

I’ve been getting really excited about where my artistic journey will lead next. I’ve broken free from the constraints of traditional creating, and have stepped into the world of what I now call “Creative Soul Expression”. I’ve learned and experienced so much, but still I’m an infant in this new stage of speaking to my soul through art. And when you’re new at something, you look up to others for support. I’ve had so many amazing mentors along my journey. In 2014 I dedicated my time to coaching training with Kate Swoboda. In 2015 I’ve been deeply immersed in learning about the creative process and how to create transformative experiences through teaching with Connie Solera and her IGNITE program. But I haven’t had much time to grow in this world of creative expression. So now in 2016, I’ve decided that I’ll be focusing my growth on deepening my creative practice.

But with who? Who can mentor me through this next phase in my journey? As you know, I deeply believe that we all have everything we need for this type of expression right within ourselves. There’s no need to search out new techniques or test out all the latest supplies. So I’ll be spending a lot of time getting quiet, learning from myself, and letting my own Soul be my mentor. But what I’d also like to explore is how different artists approach their soul work with art. What can I learn from others that will help deepen my relationship with my own Soul?

When I saw the lineup for 21 Secrets Fall and the amazing gift Connie is offering with the pre-sale, I knew this would be it. I’m especially excited to see the process of Chris Zydel (one of Connie’s mentors and a leader in intuitive painting!) and Orly Avineri (an amazing artist that I admire so much!). And oh my gosh the “Tree of Life” workshop by Jassy Watson feels like it will speak to me on so many levels. Andrea Schroeder is another amazing woman who I’m in love with. Her work always guides me to dig deeper; so I’m excited to see how she offers her gifts through this type of course. (Note, Andrea’s contribution to this Fall’s 21 Secrets is only available through the pre-sale gift that expires on Sept 3rd!)

Can this excitement to dig deeper into my creative practice be what’s keeping me awake all these nights?

No… it’s something even BIGGER!

Sure, it is part of it… as all this is. But the deep churning within me is part of a bigger picture: the totality of me claiming all of these experiences in one. Of me fully embracing this journey I’ve been on.

I’ve been growing and expanding in so many ways on the inside. It’s time to bring all of this out. It’s time to reflect the ways I’ve grown. It’s time to fully step into who I am today. To claim it. To reflect it. To share it. To TRUST in it.

It’s time to fully spread my wings and soar.

And what does this mean exactly? My business, my life, and my creativity all have to be taken to the next level. What this means for you, and for my business is this:

It’s time for me to release all ties to my old way of doing business. Which means, my Etsy shop will be closing. When what I have left is sold out, I will no longer offer my art or handmade journals for sale.

It’s time for me to fully intertwine all of my new experiences, skills, and gifts in what I offer. My mission behind my business has gotten oh so much more clear over this past year (and especially over these last couple months!). It’s time for that to get reflected in what I share. As you know, I’ve never been one to teach art techniques, as one of my goals is to help you find the wisdom within. So, none of my future offerings will come as quite the shock, but you’ll notice a slightly more defined flavor in the way I teach as I learn to intertwine everything I’ve learned.

These are just a few of the changes you’ll find in my business in the coming months. Fully stepping into who I am on the inside isn’t just a one step process. It has already been seeping out over the last two years, and it will continue to expand in its own time. And I’m sure I’ll go through this again and again as I grow even more.

But for now, just know… I have big plans. Big visions which are finally formulating into something tangible. And many, involve YOU.

I'm Kristal: an artist, writer, creativity guide and inspirationalist. If you're ready to fully reclaim your true creative self, then you're in the right place...
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About Kristal

Kristal is a creative life coach who helps women reclaim their creative magic, reconnect with their Soul, and realize their innate magnificence so they can lead a more authentic, fulfilling life. Click here to read more...